THE FIRST LESSON Acts 5:27-32
THE SECOND LESSON John 20:19-31
Worship Notes
Welcome to worship at Westminster on this Second Sunday after Easter in which we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The liturgical season of Eastertide continues for seven Sundays and concludes with our observance of Ascension Sunday (May 16) before the season of Pentecost begins on May 23. The liturgical color for Eastertide is white.
In worship today, we explore the role of doubt in our faith by reflecting on the gospel account of Thomas and his encounter with the risen Lord. In our prayers and liturgy we affirm how Christ is experienced and expressed in brokenness and woundedness. Peace comes in the form of the resurrected Christ bearing the wounds of his crucifixion.
The paraments on the lectern and pulpit are by Canadian liturgical artist, Karen Brodie and represent the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet: the alpha and the omega. The interior of the omega, along with the curved lines of the light, remind us of the open tomb and our risen Christ. The cross and the star are combined to become a symbol of Christ's birth and death. The bottom of the cross becomes one with the cup, the cup of salvation, and the wheat, the symbol of the body of Christ broken for us. These paraments also incorporate the sun rising as a symbol of the new life we celebrate through the resurrection of Christ.
